Method of and machine for building heels



March 31, 1931. D. PARKS 1,799,117

METHOD'OF AND MACHINE FOR BUILDING HEELS Griginal Filed July 26, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 1 M/ytnvroe. 05A/N/6 PA 9K6 March 31, 1931 PARKS 1,799,117

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR BUILDING HEELS Original Filed July 26, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 31, 1931 U iTE stares DENNIS PARKS,GEEIKLOUIS, MISSOURI METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOE BUILDING HEELSApplication filed July 26, 1928, Serial No; 295,395. Renewed August 21,1930p This invention relates to improvements type illustrated in mypending application Ser. No. 262,424, filed March 17th, 1928, now

Patent Number 1,740,871, dated December 24, 1929. I I

The general object of the invention-is to provide improved means forforming the heel when using either whole or pieced lifts, and to provideimproved means for driving one or more nailsthrough the lifts justbefore they are put under final pressure in the heel chute or pressurecontainer.

The improved means for forming the heel comprises a pair of platesbetween and in engagement with which the heel is built up in the usualway, with means for automatically forcing said plates toward each other,or into firm engagement with the opposite sides of the heel-blank, toholdthe lifts in fixed relation to each other as the heel-blank isforced into engagement with a previously formed heel-blank and into apressure container for the heel-blanks.

The means for nailing the assembled lifts finds its embodiment ina'sliding carriage comprising two relatively movable parts, one uponwhich the heel-blank is built up and the other containing the nailingmechanism, with means for moving'said carriage in a direction to bringthe built-up heel-blank into engagement with a previously formedheel-blank in a container, whereby the motion of that portion of thecarriage will be temporarily arrested, andthe othe'r 'part of thecarriage containing the nailing mechanism will be advanced to drive thenail into the heel-blank.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a view in side elevation of a heel-building machine of thetype referred to having my improvements applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a view in rear elevation of the same, the upper part beingbroken away;

Figure 3 is a broken View in side elevation on an enlarged scale showingthe carriage slidably mounted on an extension of the bedplate of theheel-blank container and with a built-up heel-blank in position betweenthe heel-forming plates; I

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 4-4of Fig. 3, and also onthe line 44 of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale as respects the latterfigure, showing the heel forming plates in normal position correspondingto the position of the parts in Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a View similar to Fig. 3, but showing the carriage advancedto bring the heeLblanlrinto engagement with an equalizing plate in apressure container or holder for. the heel-blanks and with a nail driventhrough the assembled lifts by the nailing mechanism; i I

Figure 6 is a view taken on the line 66 of 5 showing the position ofparts which have been moved by the advance of the sliding carriage toturn the heel-forming plates into engagement with the op posite sides ofthe assembled heel lifts; and

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the carriage illustratingmoreparticularly the adjustable mounting of the heel-forming platesthereon. Referring now to-Figs. land 2 of the drawings, the numeral 1indicates the main frame of the machine, the top portion of which isinclined forwardly as shown andhas supported thereon a combined heel-logcontainer and race-way. T 1e race-way is indicated at 2 and comprisestwo parallel bars having rounded connections at either end andprovidedwith a continuous slot 3 (Fig. 5) in which are slidably mounted theheads 4 of a set of equalizing plates'5. Below the raceway and parallelwith the lower side thereof is abed-platefG which co-operates With thelower member 7 of the race-way to provide a pressure container forheel-blanks forced therein. The plate 6 is what is known in the art as abreast plate; that is to say, the breasts of'the heels rest upon it asthey pass through the container. The bed-plate 6 has a portionentendingforwardly beyond the lower end of the race-way 2, whichextending portion is indicated atS, and whichserves .as a table forsupporting the heel lifts as they are assembled to form a heel-blank 9(Fig. l) and which also serves to opergoo atively support a slidingcarriage indicated generally by the numeral 10. This carriage is formedin two main parts, namely, a head 11 and a heel-former 12. The head 11is hollowfor a portion of its length and houses one end portion of acoil spring 13 the end of which bears against the heel-former 12.Adjustably mounted in the rear end of the head 11 by means of a screw il is a nail driver 15 which operates in a tubular guide 1(3-secured inthe back-plate 17 of the heelformer 12 by means of a set-screw 13. Projecting from the bottem of the head 11 is an arm 19 (Figs. 1, 3 and 5)which is secured to the forward end of an actuating bar 20. Secured tothe forward en d of this actuating bar is a chain 21 which passes over apulley 22 and then is extended downwardly and secured at its end to drum23 which forms the hub of one member of a ring clutch shown in detail inFig. 2. The drum 23 is loosely mounted on a shaft 2% which is adapted tobe continuously rotated from a pulley 25. Mounted on the inner end ofthe drum 23 is aring member 26 which is opposed to a corresponding ringmember 2? which is fast on the shaft 24. The drum 2-3 is provided on itsouter end with inclined surfaces 28 which engage corresponding surfacesof a fixed cam member 29 mounted on one leg of the frame 1. Projectingradially from the drum 23 is an arm 30 to which is pivotally secured theupper end of a connecting rod 31, the lower end of which is connected toa treadle 32 intermediate the point of pivotal connection 33 of thetrea-dle on the frame and its inner end. By pressing downwardly on theinner end of the treadle, its opposite end will be raised, therebylifting the arm 30 and turning the drum 23 so that the engagement of theinclined surfaces 28 and 29 will force the drum to the right, as shownin Fig. 2, bringing the clutch member 26 into engagement with the clutchmember 27 and thereby causing the drum 23 to be rotated to wind thechain 21 thereon. This, of course, pulls the chain downwardly over thepulley 22 and draws the sliding head 11 toward the heelformer 12, afterwhich the carriage 10 as a whole will. be moved upwardly over the bed 8to carry the heel-blank built up in the heelformer into the heelblankcontainer.

In order to automatically arrest th s movement of the carriage after ithas travelled the required distance to pe form the functions hereinafterdescribed, I adjustably secure on the vertical run of the chain 21 astop 34E which is adapted to engage in its downward movement the upperend of a rod 35 slidably supported in a guide 36 mounted on the frameand pivotally connected at its lower end to the inner end of the treadle32, as indicated at 37. As the chain is wound upon the drum 23 toadvance the carriage 10. the stop descends and engages the upper end ofrod 35 and thereby locks the clutch against further rotation. That is tosay, any further downward movement of the stop 34 would move the innerend of the treadle 32 downward and open the clutch members 26 and 27.This assumes that the operator would maintain pressure on the treadle byholding his foot thereon, in which event no harm could occur, for assoon as pressure was exerted by the foot to close the clutch, the stop3% would move the rod 35 downward to open the clutch. In practice, thestop is adjusted to engage the upper'end of the rod 35 synchronouslywith the arrival of the carriage 10 at the desired limit of its upwardmovement, and as this brings such movement to a stop, the operatorlearns to remove his foot from the treadle at this time, whereupon theinner end of the treadle will fall by gravity to release the clutch andthe carriage 10 will slide backward by gravity over the bed 8 to itsposition at the bottom end of said bed, or that position shown in Fig.1.

To arrest the return movement of the parts w ien they have reached thedesired position, I provide a stop 38 on the outerside of the clutchmember 26 which is adapted to engage with the inner end of an adjustablestop bar 39 which has a screwthreaded portion 40 mounted on the frameand provided With a lock-nut 41, whereby the stop bar 39 can bepositioned to be engaged by the stop 38 to stop the carriage 10,theclutch memoer 26 and the treadle 32 at the respective positions thereofdesired.

In the forward movement of the carriage 10, my novel heel-forming platesare automatically actuated and, when desired, a nail is driven into theassembled heel-blanks and the construction and operation of these partswill now be described.

Projecting inward from each side of the bacleplate 17 of the heel-formerare two shafts 42 on each of which is pivot-ally mounted a circular head13 hai 'ing a depending arm 44 on the lower reduced end l-6 of whichmounted a roller 15. its thus mounted, the arms llare rocker arms, beingadapted to rock on the shafts 42. They are held in their normal orvertical position, or that shown in Fig. -3 by means of a coil spring41-? the opposite ends of which are connected to the lower ends l6 ofthe arms 44. This spring maintains the rollers 45 in contact with theopposite sides of a slide bar 48 which is secured to the underside ofthe arm 19 of head 11 by means of screws .9. In the normal position ofthe rocker arms 44, the rollers 45 rest in circular depressions 50formed, respectively, in the outer sides of the slide bar near the innerends thereof, this position of the rollers being shown in Figs. 1, 3 and4-. Projecting upward from each of the circular heads 43 of the rockerarms 44 is a support 51 on which is adj ustably mounted a heel-formingplate 52which, for thepurpose of adjustment, is provided with slots 53(Fig. 7) and is secured on the support 51 by binding screws 54: passingthrough said slots and en aging in the support 51. Each of the plates 52is of the shape, shown, to embrace snugly the side of the heel-blank,and each of them has a depend ing lug 55 (Figs. 4 and 6) which isadapted to be engaged by the inner end of a sescrew 56 mounted in thesupport 51, which screw s may be used in adjusting the heelformingplates inwardly when the screws 5% are loosened and which, together withthe screws 5 l, serve to maintain the plates 52 in their adjustedpositions. 7

The tubular guide 16 previously referred to (Fig. 3) is bored centrallyto provide a container 57 for nails, and in this container a nail isadapted to be inserted when desired,

to be forced into the assembled heel-blanks by the nail driver 15. Thetubular member 16 with its bore for a nail constitutes a nail guide andwill hereinafter be referred to by that name. 1

In operation, after a nail has been inserted in the nail guide 16 andthe lifts 9' have been assembled into a heel of the desired height onthe extension 8 of the bedeplate 6 between the heel-forming plates 52,the operator steps on the pedal 32 which causes the clutch members 26and 27 to engage,whereb the chain 21 will be wound upon the drum 23.This causes the sliding carriage lOto be moved inward to force the heelinto the container or heel chute formed by the bedplied by the chain 21continues its inward.

movement, compressing the spring The resulting motion of the slidinghead ll rela-' tive to the heel-builder 12, or in other words,

the inward movement of the slide bar 48,

causes the rollers to ride out ofthe depres-v sions therein, whichcauses the rocker arms 44 to pivot, and turns the ieerf lifts, forcingthem into their proper position. At the same time, this motion of thehead 11 relative" to the heel-former causes the nail driver 15 to forcea nail through the assemblage of'lifts. This position of the parts isshown in Fig. 5, the nail beingdotted and indicated bythe numeral 58.After the nail has been driven and the spring '13 fully compressed, thecarriage 10 as a whole continues its inward movement and forces theentire column of heel-blanks, including that;

just nailed, as described, forward in the pressure container. Aftercompleting its stroke, which is regulated by the engagement ofthe theyproceed orming plates 52 into firm engagement with the sides of the stop34 on chain 21 with the upper end of the rod 85 mounted on the inner endof treadle 82, the head 11 returns by gravity to the position shown inFig. l, the spring 123 forces the heel-former 12 to its normal position,the rollers 45 drop back into the depressions 50, and the heel-formingplates return to their normal positions for receiving the nent set oflifts to be ass mbled into a heel.

It will be seen fror the above description that the heel-forming platesexert their pressure on the lifts at the omentthe nail "or begins toforce the nail intothe lifts. T -s makes it certain that the lifts arein proper position when the nails go through them.

After the nail has been driven, the lifts are, of course, thereby heldin proper position as n 1 through the pressure container. it shouldbeunderstcod, however, that my improved heel-forming plates are of greatvalueif a nail is not used, since they insure the proper positioning ofthe lifts at the time theygo under pressure in the container.

It Wlll be observed that the movement of the heel-forming plates towardeach other is such that they not only exert an inward pressure on thelifts but also a downward pressure. This is of great importance when aheel is being built that involves the use Of wedged lifts. It has beenfound t rat at the moment this character of heel enters the pressurecontainer, the wedged'lifts, if not restrained, tend to squeeze outtowardthe top of the heel, thus causing the heel to be improperlyshaped. With the use of my iin proved forming plates, such wedged liftsare ield down firmly in place until either the nail has been driventhrough or until complete pressure has been put upon them.

Still another advantage of the heelformmg plates is apparent when piecedheels are being built. With such heels, the j oints' betweenthe piecesare approximately vertical,

as shown by the'dotted lines in Fig. 6, and it is of the utmostimportance that the joints be closed up tightly, and this is veryeffectively done by the heel-forming plates herein do scribed.

The nail driving mechanism is designed as an improvement over the naildriving mechanismdescribed and claimed in a pending application of FredHawkins, Ser. No. 258,157, filed March 1st, 192S, which utilizes theforward motion Ofthe building head to drive the nail. The nail is drivensimultaneously with the movement of the heel toward thepressure'container by means of mechanism that moves the nail driverforward faster than the movement of the building head proper. Thepresent device is much simpler and utilizes a difierent principle, inthat the heel is not in tion for having the nails driven into the lifts.

The motion of the sliding head 11 which drives the nail is acontinuation of its inward movement necessary to force the heel-blankinto the pressure container, and the operation is thus direct andpositive and the machine itself simpler in organization and operation.

It will be understOod that the heelforming plates used will be adaptedto conform to the shape of heel being made. The drawings show platesadapted for use in making decked heels and their engaging faces areinclined to correspond with the incline of the sides of the heel-blank.If a different character of heel were being made, the plates wouldeither be correspondingly adjusted or a set of plates adapted for theparticular character of heel being made would be substituted for thoseshown.

As in the case of the machine of the Hawkins application above referredto, it will be understood that a nail-driver could be employed thatwould drive two nails instead of a single nail.

I direct attention to the fact that when a tapered heel is being built,as shown in the drawings, the heel-forming plates are shaped orpositioned in a manner to receive the small or top lifts first. I havefound that the heel can be built in this way much faster than by puttingin the base lift first. Another advantage of this is that it enables thenail to be driven through the heel from the top lift instead of from thebase lift, which is the desirable way of nailing the heel. A finaladvantage of building the heel by inserting the small or top lift intothe heel-former first is that it enables the heel to be forced into thepressure container with the bi or base lift in advance. The reversearrangement would make it exceedingly difficult to withdraw theheel-forming plates from contact with the heel-lifts at the time thecarriage starts back toward the building position. Of course, inbuilding a straight heel, the lifts are of the same size and in thatcase the heel-forming plates would have their faces parallel.

Finally, I wish to state that while my improved heel-forming and nailingdevices are primarily designed for use with a heel-building machine ofthe type shown, having an inclined pressure container, the invention isnot limited to use in such a machine. It would be equally valuable inconnection with amachine in which the pressure container were arrangedin a horizontal instead of an inclined position. v

I claim:

1. In a machine for building heels, a slid able carriage, a heel-formercarried thereby having heel-forming plates mounted thereon and normallypositioned to freely receive the lifts being assembled into a heel, apressure container adapted to have heels forced therein by saidheel-former, and movable means mounted on said carriage and operating inthe forward movement thereof to positively force the plates toward eachother to exert pressure on all the lifts of the heel and therebyproperly position them before the heel is forced into the container.

2. In a machine for building heels, a slidable carriage, a heel-formercarrieo thereby having hecl-forn'iing plates pivotally mounted thereonand normally positioned to freely 'eceive the lifts being assembled intoa heel, a pressure container adapted to have heels forced therein bysaid heel-former, and movable means mounted on said carriage andoperating in the forward movement thereof to positively force the platestoward each other and downward to exert pressure on all the lifts of theheel to thereby properly position them and tohold them firmly in placeagainst the tendency to upward movement until the complete pressure ofthe heel-former has been exerted to force them into the pressurecontainer.

3. In a machine for building heels, a slidable heel-former havinglieehforming plates pivotally mounted thereon on horizontal axes, andnormally positioned to freely receive the lifts being assembled into aheel, a pressure container adapted to have heels forced thereinby saidheel-former, and automatic means operating in the movement of saidheel-former toward said pressure container to turn said plates towardeach other on their pivots and cause them to exert pressure on-all thelifts of the heel and thereby properly position them before the heel isforced into the container.

4. In a machine for building heels, a slidable heel-former comprising aback-plate and a pair of rocker arms pivotally mounted. on saidback-plate on horizontal axes, a pair of reel-forming plates mounted,respectively, on the upper sides of said rocker-arms and positioned tofreely receive the li-ft-swbeing assembled into-a heel, a pressurecontainer adapted to have heels forced therein by said heel-former, andmovable means operating in the movement of said heel-former toward saidpressure container to engage and rock said rocker arms and cause saidheel-forming plates to be forced toward each other to exert pressure onall the lifts of the heel and thereby properly position them before theheel is forced into the container.

5. In a machine for building heels, a slidable heel-former comprising aback-plate,.a pair of rocker arms pivotally mounted thereonon horizontalaxes, a pair of heel-forming plates mounted, respectively, on the uppersides of said rocker arms and normally positioned to freely receive thelifts being assembled into a heel, a pressure container adapted to haveheels forced therein by said heel-former, and automatic means operatingin the movement of said heel-former toward the pressure container toseparate the lower i on on horizontal axes, a pair of heel-formingplates mounted, respectively, on the upper sides of said rocker arms andnormally positioned to freely receive the lifts being assembled into aheel, a roller mounted on the lower end of each of said rocker arms, apressure container adapted to have heels forced therein by saidheel-former, a sliding head operatively associated with saidheel-former, means operable at will for moving said head toward saidheel-former and both of said in the movement of said head toward saidcarriage, whereby to force the heel-forming plates toward eachother andcause them to exert pressure on all the lifts of the heel and therebyproperly position them before the heel'is forced into the container.

7. In a'machine for building heels, a slidable heel-former havingheel-forming plates pivotally mounted thereon and normally positioned tofreely receive the lifts being assembled into a heel, a pressurecontainer adapted to have heels forced therein by said heel-former,means for moving t re heel-former toward said pressure containercomprising a slidable head movable toward and into engagement with saidheel-former, and means carried by said head and operating in themovement of said head toward the heel-former to force the heel-formingplates toward each other to cause them to exert pressure on all thelifts of the heel thereon and thereby properly position them before theheel is forced into the container.

8. In a machine for building heels, a slidable heel-former havingheel-forming plates normally positioned to freely receive the liftsbeing assembled into a heel, a pressure container adapted to have heelsforced therein by said heel-former, a sliding head located to the rearof said heel-former and held in separated relation therewith by aspring, a nail guide mounted in said heel-former, anail driver carriedby said head and working in said nail guide, means operable at will formoving said head toward said heel-former and both of said parts towardsaid pressure container, whereby when the heel-formeris arrested byengagement of the assembled lifts thereon with a heel-blank in thepressure container, said head will be advanced to force the nail throughsaid assemblage of lifts and then to force the resulting heel-blankintothe container, and automatic means operating in the forward movement ofsaid head to force said plates toward each other to cause them to exertpressure on all the lifts of the heel on the heel former and therebyproperly position them before the heel is forced into the container. i

9. In a machine for building heels, a bedplate, a heel-former slidablymounted thereon and having movable heel-forming plates, a

head slidably mounted on said bed-plate at the rear of said heel-former,a spring interposed between said headand heel-former, a pressurecontainer adapted to have heels forced therein by said heel-former,means operable at will for moving said head toward and into contact withsaid heel-former and both of said parts toward said pressure container,and means carried by said head and operating in the movement of the headt0- ward said heel-former to move said plates toward each other to causethem to exert pressure on all of the lifts ofthe assembled heel andthereby properly position them before the heel is forced into thecontainer.

10. In a machine for building heels, a bed-- plate, a heel formerslidably mounted thereon comprising a pair of rocker arms each of whichcarries a heel-forming plate, a roller mounted on the lower end of eachof said rocker arms, a head slidably mounted on said bed-plate, apressure contalner adapted to have heels forced therein by saidheel-former, means operable at w1ll for moving said head toward saidheel-former and both of said parts toward said pressure container, and aslide plate carried by saidhead and operating between said rollers,said-slide plate having depressions in which said rollers normally rest,whereby when the head is ad vanced toward said heel-former, saiddepressions will be moved beyond the rollers causing the latter to beseparated and thereby turn the heel-forming plates toward each other ontheir pivots and cause them to exert pressure on all the lifts of aheelassembled between them, and thereby properly position said lifts beforethe heel is forced into the container.'

11. In a machine forrbuilding heels, a a

slidable heel-former comprising a backplate and a pair of rocker armspivotally mounted on said back plate on horizontal axes, a pair ofheel-forming plates mounted, respectively, on the upper sides of saidrocker ar1ns, a coil spring connecting the lower ends of said rockerarms and normally holding said heel-forming plates in a. position tofreely receive the lifts being assembled into a heel, a pressurecontainer adapted to have heels forcedtherein by said heelformer,andiautomatic means operating in the movement of said heel-former towardthe pressure container to separate the lower ends of said rocker armsand thereby force the heel-forming plates toward each other to causethem to exert pressure on all of the lifts of the heel, and therebyproperly position them before the heel is forced into the container.

12. In a machine for building heels, a slidable heel-former forreceiving the lifts being assembled into a heel, a pressure containeradapted to have heels forced therein by said hcel former, a sliding headlocated to the rear of said heelformer,- anail guide mounted in saidheel-former, a nail driver carried by said head and working in said nailguide, and means operable atwill for moving saidhead toward saidheel-former and both of said parts toward said pressure container,whereby when the heel-former is arrested by engagement of the assembledlifts thereon with a heel-blank in the pressure container, said headwill be advanced to force the nail through said assemblage of lifts andthen to force the resulting heelblauk into the container.

13. In a machine for building heels, a slidable heel-formerfor-receiving the lifts being assembled into a heel, a pressurecontainer adapted tohave heels forced therein by said heel-former, asliding head located to the rear of said heel-former and held inseparated relation therewith by a spring, a nail guide mounted in saidheel-former, a nail driver carried by said head and worl inn: in saidnail guide, and means operable at will for moving said head toward saidheelformer and both of said parts toward said pressure container,whereby when the heelformer is arrested by engagement of the assembledlifts tnereon with a heel-blank in the pressure container, said headwill be advanced to force the nail through said assemblage of lifts andthen to force the resulting heel-blank into the container.

i l. The method of building heels which consists in assembling lifts inheel-form, exerting pressure simultaneously on the sides of all of thelifts to properly position them, subjecting said lifts to a compressionaction, and maintaining the lateral pressure on said lifts until thecompression actionhas been applied thereto.

15. The method of building heels which consists-in asembling lifts inheel form, exerting pressure simultaneously on the sides of all of thelifts to properly positionthem, forcing a nail through said liftswhilemaintaining the lateral pressure thereon, subjectingisaid lifts to acompressing action, and maintaining the lateral pressure on said liftsuntil the compressingaction has been applied thereto."

16. The methodof building heels which consi ts in assembling lifts in aheel-former beginning with the smallest ortop lift and ending with thelargest on base 'lift, exerting pressure simultaneously on both sides ofm hand.

J DENNIS PARKS.

